This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for flushing a cooling system of an automobile engine.
The cooling systems in automobiles are fairly standard and generally comprise a radiator which is linked by hoses to both an engine block and a water pump. A heater is also provided between the pump and the engine block itself. The cooling system, therefore, consists of a number of flow paths through which water or coolant is circulated when the engine is in operation thereby reducing the engine operating temperature and correspondingly reducing the possibility of damage to the engine components themselves. Due to the nature of the automotive cooling system, however, sediment and deposits, such as rust, scale and the like, will build up inside the hoses and various elements over a period of time. This results in inefficient operation of the system, and in extreme cases can even cause the system itself to actually become blocked. To prevent this, it is generally considered advisable in the automotive industry for the cooling system to be flushed at periodic intervals and the water or coolant contained therein to be replaced.
In the prior art, the most common type of cooling system flushing is accomplished by draining the cooling system and then running the engine while fresh water is introduced into the system by means of a hose attached to an opening in the top of the radiator. This method, however, is ineffective in removing the rust and scale which has built up as it provides for only a unidirectional flow. Additional apparatus is known in the prior art for improving this method which consists of the use of a mixer chamber which combines pressurized air and water. This combination provides a more effective scrubbing action inside the cooling system itself than with water alone, but nevertheless does not remove all the rust and scale.
A more efficient method of cleaning the automotive cooling system is known in the prior art which consists of a four-cycle operation using the pressurized air and water combination. This method employs four separate flow-through steps each of which covers a different combination sequence of the individual elements of the cooling system itself. While this results in a much cleaner flushing, the process is complex and requires a number of costly items of equipment. Further, in view of the nature of the number of connections that are involved and the location where they must be made, this method is very difficult to employ. Therefore, while the four-cycle method does provide an effective flushing, it is much more expensive and more difficult to operate. Nevertheless, despite the drawbacks in terms of efficiency, cost and ease of operability, these methods and this apparatus for flushing automobile cooling systems are well-known and widely used.